The King’s decision to meet David Beckham rather than Harry speaks volumes… proving he’s a man of duty and service

THE King has emerged from a brief hiatus in his cancer treatment to a packed diary.

Amid his weighty commitments, there was no opportunity to meet his son Harry, who jetted in for three days.

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But really, who can blame him?

Harry and his wife Meghan have made a fistful of dollars carping on about his family’s supposed inadequacies and failings.

It means Charles and Harry’s once close bond has evaporated.

So His Majesty’s decision to meet David Beckham — a long-standing supporter of the Royal Family who queued for hours with the public to pay last respects to the late Queen — and not his son, speaks volumes.

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There is, nonetheless, a certain irony, given Harry was accused of snubbing David in 2018.

The once-warm relationship was reported to have come under strain over claims the Prince refused to see Becks at the Invictus Games in Sydney.

Ultimately, Charles’s decision to avoid meeting Harry was not only understandable but arguably prudent too.

It reflects a monarch’s discerning judgment to prioritise public duty over private matters.

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The King’s role, after all, is not just as a father but the figurehead of a centuries-old institution and the nation.

• Robert Jobson is a Sunday Times bestselling author. His latest book is Our King: Charles III.

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